Combined BS and MS in Biology Education

Introduction

Under Delaware State’s unique Biology Education program, students can acquire two degrees in five years: a four-year Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, plus an M.A. in Teaching (MAT) earned during an optional fifth year. This attractive pair of qualifications is in very high demand, as the United States faces a critical shortage of highly qualified science teachers. Students who complete the entire five-year program are recruited by school districts throughout Delaware, as well as in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and points beyond.

Biology Education majors enjoy the same intensive, hands-on experience that’s offered in the General Biology program, as well as the same opportunities to participate in research. In addition, the MAT component includes a full semester of student teaching experience, plus a sequence of courses in classroom management, adolescent development, and instructional techniques. Students graduate with deep understandings of current scientific issues and the ability to make those subjects accessible, exciting, and relevant to 21st-century students.

Professional Preparation

Students who complete the entire five-year program in Biology Education can become licensed teachers in the state of Delaware upon graduation. They develop professional teaching skills in core subjects such as general biology, cell biology, and molecular biology, as well as cutting-edge scientific material such as genetics and environmental issues.

Students who choose not to pursue the MAT can graduate in four years with a Bachelor’s in Biological Sciences. These students can continue to graduate school, or find entry-level positions in biology-related fields such as health care, pharmaceuticals, environmental regulation, product development, or natural resources management.

Faculty

Members of the Delaware State biology faculty are highly committed to undergraduate education. Attentive and accessible, they go out of their way to cultivate students’ interest in biology, research, and the sciences. Our instructors provide individual attention to each student, acting as mentors and advisors as well as classroom educators. They help students discover their academic strengths and lay solid career foundations.

Research and Experience

At Delaware State, undergraduates in the biology program are encouraged to get involved in research. When research opportunities arise, undergraduates do more than simply wash test tubes; they play active, often significant roles in the research process. There are active inquiries on campus in such fields as neuroscience, anatomy, physiology, cancer, DNA analysis, plant breeding, and gene manipulation.